"Jehovah, the Father, bless thee, and keep thee:"Jehovah, the Son, the Bridegroom, make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:"Jehovah, the Spirit, lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."
"Jehovah, the Father, bless thee, and keep thee:
"Jehovah, the Son, the Bridegroom, make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee:
"Jehovah, the Spirit, lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."
So read, we see in these words fuller beauty and appropriateness. Let us now notice the first clause in particular.
Considered as a father's blessing could anything be more appropriate than "TheLordbless thee, and keepthee"? Is not this just what every loving father seeks to do—to bless and keep his children? He does not find it an unwelcome task, but his greatest delight. Offer to relieve him of the responsibility and to adopt his child, and see what his reply will be! Nor may we confine ourselves to paternal love in thinking of this subject; but rather take it as parental love, embracing also the love of the mother, for "Thus saith theLord, ... As one whom his mother comforteth, so will I comfort you." We all know how the mother-love delights to lavish itself on the objects of its care. With a patience that never tires, and an endurance almost inexhaustible, and a care all but unlimited, how often has the mother sacrificed her very life for the welfare of her babe. But strong as is a mother's love, itmayfail;God'slovenever. "Can a woman forget her suckling child that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee."
It was one of the objects of ourSaviour'smission to reveal to us that, inChrist Jesus,Godis also ourFather. How He delighted in bringing out this precious truth the Sermon on the Mount bears witness: "Glorify your Father." "Love ... bless ... do good, that ye may be the children of yourFather." Be "perfect, even as yourFather." "ThyFather... seeth." "YourFatherknoweth," etc., etc. And well may our hearts rest in the thought which so satisfied His heart, thatGodis indeed ourFather.
And what a gloriousFatherHe is! the source of all true fatherhood andmotherhood. We have often walked in the fields in the early morning, and have noticed how the rising sun has turned each dewdrop into a glittering gem; one ray of its own bright light makes a little sun of each of the million drops that hang from the pendent leaflets and sparkle everywhere. But it is helpful to remember that the glorious orb itself contains infinitely more light than all the dewdrops ever did or ever will reflect. And so of our heavenlyFather: Himself the great Source of all that is noble and true, of all that ever has been loving and trust-worthy—each beautiful trait of each beautiful character is but the dim reflection of some ray of His own great perfection. And the sum-total of all human goodness, and tenderness, and love is but as the dewdrops to the sun. How blessed then to confide in theinfinite and changeless love of such aFather—ourFatherin heaven!
How safe too! "There is none like unto theGodof Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in His excellency on the sky. The eternalGodis thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms." Ofttimes where the love of earthly parents has not failed, yet have they been powerless to bless and to keep. The cruel tyrant has tortured the parent in torturing the child; while there has been no power to deliver. And in the presence of human want or suffering how impotent has the strongest human love oft proved to be! Not so the love of our heavenlyFather: His resources and His power are as inexhaustible as His love; and they are blest and kept indeed whom He deigns to bless and keep.
May we not add "they only"? Thefoolish prodigal imagines that he can secure greater happiness for himself when no longer curbed by his father's presence and will; such always come to want, and, alas! do not always return quickly to the home where reconciliation and blessing alone are to be found. He is poorly kept who tries to keep himself; and though the pleasures of sin may for a season gratify, they can never satisfy!B
"Jehovah, theFather, blessthee, and keepthee." It is an individual blessing: and it includes every form of blessing, temporal as well as spiritual—"MyGodshall supply all your need"; and this "according to His riches in glory inChrist Jesus," not according to our consciousness of need. He isableto bless, able to make all grace abound—to so wonderfully abound towards us, that we always having all sufficiency in all things, may abound to every good work: He is able to keep—to keep us from falling, to keep us from all evil. And not only is He able, but He has already "blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly things inChrist," and He wants us, His children, to know and to enjoy the love that is the source of all blessing: the love that can never by finite words express its fulness: the love that eternal ages will never exhaust!
"Best of blessings He'll provide us,Nought but good shall ere betide us;Safe to glory He will guide us,Oh, how He loves!"
BWhen we speak ofGodas aFatherwe must not forget that He is only such in its full meaning to those who have become His children by faith inChrist Jesus; and that the sad and solemn words of the loving Saviour to the unconverted were, "Ye are ofyourfather, the devil." The prodigal was a backslider: when furthest from home he could yet think and speak of the privileges of his father's house.
BWhen we speak ofGodas aFatherwe must not forget that He is only such in its full meaning to those who have become His children by faith inChrist Jesus; and that the sad and solemn words of the loving Saviour to the unconverted were, "Ye are ofyourfather, the devil." The prodigal was a backslider: when furthest from home he could yet think and speak of the privileges of his father's house.
The second clause of the blessing is the blessing of theSon, which is not less full and appropriate. Through eternal ages theSonofGod, He became, in the fulness of time, theSonof Man. The Brightness of HisFather'sglory, theSunof Righteousness, He came to manifest, as well as to speak of, theFather'slove. He became theLightof the world, as well as theLambofGod; but in each aspect doing the will, as well as the work ofGod, He thus revealed the wondrous love and grace of theFather, and His own perfect Sonship. TheFather'swill includedChrist'sglad reception of all who come to Him, His meeting all their need—saving, sanctifying, satisfying, keeping, raising up at the last day—His givingHimself for, and giving Himself to, all those given to Him of theFather.
He is indeed a wonderful Saviour! What light the incarnateWordofGod(Who is Light) has thrown on the written Word ofGod! The law in its legal requirements He has fulfilled, bringing in everlasting righteousness, which is imputed to all those who are indeed in Him. He has also fulfilled the Law in its manifold typical aspects—Himself the Temple, the Priest, and the Sacrifice; Himself the Altar, the Offerer, and the Victim; Himself the Lamp, and the Priestly Trimmer of the lamps (as He is also the whole Vine, and yet the Life of each individual branch of the Vine). Time would fail us to enumerate the various objects and acts of typical service which were all fulfilled in Him. He too is theBridegroom, from whosewounded side the Bride is being formed; and He is waiting for His Bride, who will soon be caught up to meet Him in the air. The trueSolomonis He whose glory we shall share, and not only so, but whose presence will be the ever-satisfying portion of His chosen Bride.
The Bride eyes not her garment, but her loved Bridegroom's face;I shall not gaze on glory, but on myKingof grace;Not on the crown He giveth, but on His pierced hand:TheLambis all the glory of Immanuel's land.
May theHoly Spiritgive us more and more to realize the practical bearing of all that is thus revealed of the glory of the Person, and the fulness of the work of ourSaviourandKing!
Jehovah, the Son, make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto Thee.
The first clause of the three-fold blessing told of the going out of the heart of the invisibleFather; now, when we come to the blessing of theSon, we read, "TheLordmake his face shineupon thee," or, in other words, make visiblymanifestHis favour towards thee. TheSonofGodis theKinsmanwho has the right to redeem, theFriendwho sticketh closer than a brother, theOnewho has come, not only to be theLightof the world, but in an especial sense to be theLightof His own redeemed ones.
There was no need in Israel of a kinsman-redeemer in times of prosperity; but when bereavement and poverty afforded opportunity to the creditors to seize the possession, then a kind and wealthy kinsman-redeemer was a blessing indeed. We are reminded of the beautiful history of Ruth: how sweetly the gracious words of Boaz fell on the ear of the young stranger, and what blessing that kinsman brought into her heart and life! TheFriendthat sticketh closer than a brother is precious at all times, but never so valued as in times of adversity; and the very expression, "The Lightof the world," tells us of the darkness that sin has brought in—a darkness, alas! not only around, but also within. The shining of the face ofJehovah, theSon, dispels the darkness and the gloom, manifests the presence of theFriendin need, and shows us theRedeemer, who not onlydelivers, but becomes theBridegroomof the soul.
"Make Hisfaceshine upon thee." The face is perhaps the most wonderful part of the wonderful human body. Of all the faces thatGodhas made no two are exactly alike, even when quiescent; and though we do occasionally meet with those that bear a very close resemblance, intimate friends, who know the play of the countenance, never mistake. And why is this? BecauseGodhas so ordered it, that the face shallrevealthe character and feelings of the individual. And it is the purpose ofGodthat the heart ofChristshall be revealed to His people. That heart might have been full of love, and we might never have known it; but it is the will ofGodthat "the light of the knowledge of the glory ofGod" should berevealedto us "in the face ofJesus Christ."
How well we know in actual life what the light of the countenance means! How the mother's smile brings light and gladness into the heart of the child! How the welcoming look of a friend is at once understood! In Daniel ix. 16, 17, the prophet prays, "O Lord ... I beseech Thee, let Thine anger and Thy fury be turned away from Thy city, Jerusalem; ... and cause Thy face to shine upon Thy sanctuary that is desolate." Where there is the shining of the face we know there is more than forgiveness; there is favour and complacence. In the thrice-offered prayer of Psalm lxxx, "Cause Thy face to shine, and we shall be saved," the salvation of Israel is counted upon as the result; and in Psalm lxvii, we find that the shiningofGod'sface upon His people is further to issue in His way being "known upon earth, His saving health among all nations."
It is, however, when we consider Him in the relationship ofBridegroomandKingthat the tenderness and preciousness of this blessing are most fully seen. A truly royalBridegroom: "in His favour is life," and to Him we can approach at all times, without any fear that He will hide His countenance, or that He will not hold out to us the golden sceptre. Queen Esther might tremble for the result of her boldness, but ourKingever welcomes the approach of His Bride.
When her heart cries out, "Let him kiss me with the kisses of His mouth," He is ever ready to bring her into His chambers; indeed it is often theBridegroomwho has to allure the Bride,Crather than the Bride who has to seek the favour of theBridegroom. It is only when she has treated him with neglect or disobedience that she finds herself in darkness. And what is not His favour to a loyal and true-hearted Bride! To a subject, the favour of theKingis "as dew upon the grass," but to a bride is it not everything? "JEHOVAH, theBridegroom, make His face shine upon thee, and be gracious unto thee!"
What a wonderful view of the light of His countenance the favoured disciples must have had, who were witnesses of His transfiguration: we are told that His face did shine as the sun. To the proto-martyr Stephen theheavens were opened, and the face of theLordshone upon him: and when he saw Him he became so like Him, that his dying utterances corresponded with those of hisLordon the Cross. When Saul, likewise, saw the glory of his risenSaviour, on the way to Damascus, the vision at midday was of a light above the brightness of the sun shining round about him; and the effect of that heavenly vision changed the whole current of his life, making him a follower of theChrist, who pleased not Himself, and making the spirit manifested in his first cry, "Lord, what wiltThouhave me to do?" the spirit of his life ever after. And so when theLordmakes the light of His countenance to shine upon any of His people, in the measure in which with unveiled face they discern the beauty of theLord, there is a moral and progressive change into His likeness, the work of theLord, theSpirit.
C"Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away."—Cant. ii. 10; "Come with Me from Lebanon, My spouse."—Cant. iv. 8.
C"Rise up, my love, my fair one, and come away."—Cant. ii. 10; "Come with Me from Lebanon, My spouse."—Cant. iv. 8.
We have considered the bountiful overflow of theFather'slove; and our hearts have burned within us as we dwelt upon and felt the glow of the love of theSon. Now, as we think of the blessing of theLord, theSpirit, may He reveal Himself to us through these holy Words, which were written by His inspiration and which can never be fully understood and enjoyed save by His own illumination. The Bible is a supernatural book, a divine revelation: theHoly Spiritis the supernatural, the divineGuideto its meaning. From the "wise and prudent" its teachings are hidden;—hence the questionings of some of thelearned only confirm its truth; but to "babes"—to all those, whether learned or unlearned, in whom theHoly Ghosthas wrought the child-like spirit, it is an opened book: they love it, and feast upon it, and grow thereby.
It is very important to have clear thoughts about the third person of the Trinity. Many Christians fail in this respect, and lose much in consequence. He has as distinct personality as has theSonofGod; and we must not think or speak of Him vaguely, as though He were an influence merely and not a person. OurSaviourteaches us thatweshouldknowHim, "for He abideth with you, and shall be in you." But are there not many of theLord'speople to whom He is not yet "a living, bright Reality"?
So important are the presence andthe work of theHoly Ghost, that ourLordassured His disciples that it was expedient for them thatHeshould go away, in order that theComfortershould come. And we see the mighty change that was wrought in the disciples when the outpouring of theSpiritactually took place at Pentecost. The timid became courageous; the scattered and persecuted disciples went everywhere preaching the Word; theHoly Spiritwrought conviction of sin, and revealed the risenSaviouras the object of faith; and many were added to theLord. The sameSpiritis still present with us; may we too be filled, and largely used as channels of blessing.
"Jehovah, the Spirit, lift up His countenance upon thee, and give thee peace."
The blessing of theSpiritis essential to the completeness of the benediction. We are struck, however, with the similarity of this blessing to that which precedes it; nor is the similarity surprising. For, as theSoncame to reveal theFather, so theSpirithas come to reveal theSon.Christwas a trueComforter; but His personal work on earth being finished, He ascended on high to minister for His people as theirHigh Priestin the presence ofGod. TheHoly Spiritis the otherComforter, sent by theFatherinChrist'sname, that He might abide with the Church for ever.Christis the indwellingSaviour:theHoly Spiritthe indwellingComforter. On whomsoeverChristmakes His face to shine, theHoly Spiritwill surely lift up
"Lift up Hiscountenanceupon thee." We have already dwelt on the significance of the face or countenance (the same original word) as revealing the emotions of the heart. We see from these words that it is the purpose ofGodthat the presence and the love of theSpiritshould be made known to those in whom He dwells. When He lifts up His countenance upon us, we walk in conscious security and freedom; but if theSpiritbe grieved, the light of His countenance is hidden from us, and we walk in darkness. And, oh, how dangerous isthis walking in darkness, how surely we shall wander from the way, and fall into some of the snares of the devil! There is only one safe course, to confess the sin that has grieved Him, and take no rest till communion is restored: this may always be done most easily byimmediateconfession and turning to Him, who is our Advocate with theFather, and whose shed blood cleanses from all sin. When sin is put away theSpiritagain lifts up His countenance upon us, and peace fills the heart.
TheLord Jesus, when on earth, said, "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither letit be afraid." But here it is theSpiritwho is spoken of as bestowing peace: why is this? Because theSpiritofGodmakes real things real tous, and enables us practically to enjoy the blessings procured for us by the death and resurrection and priestly ministry of theLord Jesus. Many a believer to whomChristhas left peace, knows little of it; but those who are filled with theSpiritare filled with peace. They have peace withGod; they have also heart-peace in the midst of conflict and turmoil; and the peace ofGod, which passeth all understanding, guards their hearts and thoughts. The fruit of theSpiritis love, joy, peace.
Arewepractically enjoying this blessing, and experiencing this peace which passes all understanding? Are wefindingthat when He makes quietness, none can make trouble? And ifnot, what is the hindrance? Is there any known sin unconfessed, or not put away? Has wrong been done, and restitution to the extent of our ability not been made? Is there any matter in whichGodhas a controversy with us? Or are we indulging ourselves in anything about which we have doubt? Are we withholding anything fromGodwhich is His due—ourselves, our property, our children; or, it may be, our testimony? Or, if none of these things are hindering us, are we failing toaccept, by faith, the filling of theSpirit; perhaps only asking, but not receiving also? Is it that we are neglecting the prayerful study ofGod'sWord, and thus grieving theSpiritby whom it was inspired? Paul askedGodto give the Ephesian Christians theSpiritof wisdom and revelation in the knowledge ofChrist, that they mightknow the hope of His calling and the exceeding greatness of His power toward themthat believe. We do well to note the words "that believe," for unbelief lies at the root of every form of hindrance.
As theSpiritrevealsChrist, so doesChristbestow theSpirit; and by faith inChristand in His Word we appropriate the gift. We shall never forget the blessing we received through the words, in John iv. 14, "Whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him
SHALL NEVER THIRST,"
nearly thirty years ago. As we realized thatChristliterally meant what He said—that "shall" meant shall, and "never" meant never, and "thirst" meant thirst—our heart overflowedwith joy as we accepted the gift. Oh, the thirst with which we had sat down, but oh, the joy with which we sprang from our seat, praising theLordthat the thirsting days were all past, and past for ever! For, as ourLordcontinues, "the water that I shall give him shall bein hima well of water, springing up—overflowing—unto everlasting life." Perhaps, however, we should draw attention to the words ofChrist, "whosoever drinketh"; not drank—once for all—but "drinketh," that is habitually: as in chap. vii. 38, 39, where, after promising that out of him "shall flow rivers of living water," it is significally added, "this spake He of theSpirit, which they that believe"—i.e., keep believing—should receive.
Is it not sad that so free a gift should be so little esteemed, so often neither enjoyed nor sought after? Itis intended foreach oneof us—"lift up His countenance uponthee, and givetheepeace." Would that each reader would accept the giftnow, and evermore enjoy it, to the glory ofGod.
"And they shall put My Name upon the children of Israel; and I will bless them."
With these words this wonderful chapter closes, and the great object ofGodin bestowing His blessing upon His people is revealed: "They shall putMy Nameupon the children of Israel," or, in other words, shall cause them not only to become the people ofGod, but also to become manifestly such.
In olden time names were not meaningless, but were descriptive ofcharacter or relationship. The various names ofGodare all full of significance, and each is always used designedly in the Bible: failing to recognize this, learned, but spiritually-ignorant men have imagined the Old Testament writings to have been mere compilations from the works of different authors, and have failed to see the beautiful appropriateness of the various names ofGodas they are used in different connections.
In the preceding benediction the thrice repeated Name ofJehovahhas revealed to us the triuneGodin His gracious relations with His redeemed people, and has also reminded us that in these relationships He is the unchanging One, the same yesterday, to-day, and for ever; for all this is contained in the NameJehovah. And thus the expression, "They shall putMy Nameupon the children of Israel," implies the purpose ofGodthat in His people should be manifested, not only thebeautiesof His Divine character, but also theunchanging relationshipin which they stand to Him. Israel of old was, and still is,God'switness in the world. In all their unfaithfulness, their very existence as a separate people is a standing miracle, witnessing to the truth of prophecy. But had they been faithful they would have been much more than this; for the beauty of theLordtheirGodwould have been upon them; and receiving His blessing themselves, they would have become a blessing to the world. We who are now the children ofGod—Christians upon whom the Name ofChristhas been called—are intended to be witnesses for ourMaster, and to show forth the beauties of Him who has "called us byHis own glory and virtue." (2 Peter i. 3.—R.V.)
There is an interesting parallelism between the passage we are considering and the commission given by ourLordto His people to disciple all nations, baptizing them into theNameof theFather, theSon, and theHoly Ghost. True Christians arekeptby the power ofGod("theLordbless thee andkeep thee"), in the grace which is inChrist Jesus("theLordmake His face shine upon thee, and begracious unto thee"), and receive the illumination of theHoly Ghost("theLordlift up His countenance upon thee"), in order thattheymay shine as lights in the world, and become living epistles, known and read of all men.
It is deeply interesting also to connect the sealing of this passage withthat of Rev. vii and xiv. In the former passage (Rev. vii. 1-3) we see the powers to whom the plagues are committed restrained until the sealing of the servants ofGodis completed. The hundred and forty and four thousand are all sealed—a mystical and symbolical number of the mystical and symbolical Israel, not of Israel according to the flesh. For in this book of Revelation theLambdoes not mean an animal, but theLambofGod. The beast does not mean a literal wild beast, but the spiritual wild beast who destroys the children ofGod. So the twelve thousand of the tribe of Judah refers to the praising ones ofChrist'sfold; the sealed of Asher to the happy ones, who bless theLordat all times; those of Naphtali, to those satisfied with favour, full with the blessing of theLord; those of Reuben, to theonce unstable as water, but now fully saved ones; &c., &c.
In Rev. xiii we find the great tribulation in progress, and those still left on the earth persecuted sorely, many of them to the death, by the beast. But the hundred forty and four thousand of Rev. xiv are not among them; they were caught up before the tribulation commenced, having been accounted worthy (Luke xxi. 34-36), to escape the things coming on the earth, and to stand before theSonofMan. Such are not only virgins, undefiled by spiritual adultery with the world, but also wise ones, filled with theSpirit: they are not only waiting for the coming of the Bridegroom, but ready for that coming; whereas the unwise have to go and buy oil, and so miss their opportunity. In Rev. xiv we see thatGod'sName iswritten on the foreheads of these wise virgins, and that in their mouths is a song which no one else can sing. They are a first-fruits Bride united to the first-fruit's Bridegroom, and were redeemed (not from among the Jews only, but from among men), untoGodand theLamb. Other believers, then in the tribulation, shall join them later and form the harvest untoGod(Rev. vii. 14-17), and will come with the Bridegroom and Bride when ourLordis revealed from heaven in flaming fire to take vengeance on the ungodly (2 Thess. i, 6-10). The harvest is not only separated from the first-fruits in Rev. vii and xiv, but also in Rev. xx. We may read verses 4-6 more clearly if we render the second clause of verse 4, "I saw also the souls of them, &c.," instead of "and I saw, &c." and the last clause, "They also lived andreigned withChrista thousand years." We thus see the enthroned Bridegroom and Bride and the harvest, the Body ofChrist, forming the first resurrection, and together reigning in glory.
"And I will bless them."A word of encouragement to Aaron and his sons in pronouncing the blessing, as well as to the people who received it. The blessing was preceded byGod'scommand ("Speak unto Aaron ... On this wise ye shall bless"), and followed by the promise quoted above; even as ourSaviourin giving His last commission to disciple all nations, preceded it by, "All power is given unto Me...: Go ye therefore;" and followed it by the assurance and promise, "Lo, I am with you alway." In the word of a King there is power; and when His servants carry out His commands, ourKingis present to authenticate them, and to ensure the result.
We learned from Numbers vi,God'srequirements of those who desire to take the privileged position of separation to Himself. We found also in the conclusion of the same chapter the overflow ofGod'slove in the rich and comprehensive blessing which so appropriately follows, and forms the connecting link between Nazarite separation and the princely service set forth in Chap. vii,—one of the longest in the Bible, and one full of repetition. We now propose to consider more fully why this service of giving finds such lengthy record.
Is it not that just as separation toGodissues in blessing, so does blessing fromGodconstrain to service, and especially to the highest form of service, that which is mostGod-like, that ofGiving?Godso loved the world that Hegave;Christso loved the Church that Hegave; theHoly Spiritso loves the Church that Hegives; and redeemed ones, created anew inChrist Jesusunto good works, when led by theSpirit, firstgivethemselves untoGod, and then delight in such other free-will offerings as theLordmay enable them to present. This we believe is the reason why the chapter is found here, and is the true connection between its subject-matter and that of the preceding one.
But why is it so long, so repetitious, and so tedious? The Bible is a wonderful book; it not only gives the history of the past, and guidance for the present, but in prophecy we have the history of ages yet to come—the course of events until the grand climax whenGodshall be all in all. Why, in a book so marvellous in its comprehensiveness, is so much space given to this record?
Is it not in order to reveal the heart ofGod? to show His delight in the loving offerings of His servants? The record isnottedious to Him; and it becomes marvellously interesting to us, when we get the key, and are brought into sympathy with the heart of Him who finds infinite satisfaction in eachgift, of each one of His children, which is the outcome of gratitude and love.
In the days of ourLord'slife on earth, when the shadow of the cross was already upon Him, one only amongst all His followers—a woman, Mary—had understood and really taken in His repeated declaration of the sufferings that awaited Him; and when she came to anoint Him beforehand for the burial, and broke the precious alabaster boxshe had reserved for this very purpose, the thief who kept the bag had only angry words of criticism and reproach. How sweet to her wounded spirit was herMaster'scommendation, "She hath done what she could!" And He added, "Wheresoever this Gospel shall be preached throughout the whole world, this also that she hath done shall be spoken of for a memorial of her."
On an earlier occasion, likewise, as He sat over against the treasury, many that were rich cast in large sums of silver and of gold, but He turned from them and their gifts to draw attention to a certain poor widow who brought two mites and cast them in. She had gladdened the heart of Him who was the Creator of all wealth, and the real Owner of it all. She, said He, had given more than they all: for sheof her wanthad givenallthat she had! And of her, as of Mary, it is true that in whatsoever language the Word ofGodis translated, in whatsoever clime it is read, theMaster'scommendation is made known.
There is a day coming, in which before assembled worlds He will make manifest the loving gifts and the secret service of His redeemed ones. Then we shall not weary as they are recountedand rewarded; and as we see His joy in them all, we shall better understand the length of Numbers vii.
"And it came to pass on the day that Moses had fully set up the tabernacle, and had anointed it, and sanctified it ... and all the vessels thereof, ... that the princes of Israel, heads of the house of their fathers, ... offered."
When theLordgave the plan of the tabernacle and of the vessels, He likewise gave to the people willing hearts to offer, and skill to execute. There was no need to press them; the workers and contributors were those whose heart stirred them up, and whose spirit was made willing. The people brought more than enough for the service of the work, and Moses had to make proclamation throughoutthe camp to restrain them from bringing more.
Is there not a lesson to be learnt here? Let the work only be one ofGod'splanning, and executed according to His mind, and the hearts that are in sympathy with Him will gladly respond with suitable and abundant offerings. For is not the willingness to give as much a part of His working as the skill to use that which is given? Then, in the givers and in their gifts, in the workers and in their work, the Divine heart finds infinite complacency. "For of Him," as the great Designer, "and through Him," as the effectual Power for the carrying out of His purposes, "and to Him," as the real Object of all service, "are all things: to whom be the glory for ever. Amen."
But divine service requires not only initiating, but also maintaining worthilyofGod. It was not sufficient that the tabernacle and the vessels of ministry were according to the divine pattern, both as to material and workmanship, and that they were made by divinely qualified workmen; but when all was completed and fully set up, both the tabernacle and the vessels needed anointing and sanctifying; andwhen that was donethe offerings needed to carry on the service could not but be freely poured in. In like manner in all life and work, individual or organised, only letGodhave His right place, and let there bethe anointingof theHoly Ghost, received by faith, as well as consecration to Him, and everything will follow, as needful, for the carrying out ofGod'splan in the life or work.
"And they brought their offering before theLord, six covered wagons, and twelve oxen; ... and theLordspake unto Moses, saying, Take it of them, that they may be to do the service of the tabernacle of the congregation; and thou shall give them unto the Levites, to every man according to his service."
It is interesting to note that the first offerings recorded were for the purpose of assisting in the moving of the tabernacle; it was notGod'spurpose that it should be stationary. Nor isGod'swork ever intended to be stationary, but always advancing.
The offerings themselves were remarkable: rude bullock-wagons, probably rough both in material and workmanship, much like those we now are familiar with in the unchanging East; they must have presented a striking contrast to the beauty of theskilfully prepared vessels of ministry. We may well imagine the thought to have passed through the mind of Moses, Can such rude offerings be acceptable to the gloriousGod? ButGodHimself dispels all doubt, by saying, "Take it of them."
Godis not hard to please, nor is true human love, for it is a dim reflection of His own. We do not estimate our love-gifts by their intrinsic value, but rather by the love they express. Well do we remember a little incident which occurred some twenty-four years ago, and which illustrates this truth.
My little daughter, then about five years old, came to me on the morning of my birthday with a curious little birthday gift in her hand,—"Papa, I haven't bought you a birthday present," said she; "I thought you would ratherhave something I made myself." How my heart went out to the little darling, and how glad I was that she should think that something she could make would be more precious to me than any purchased gift! But what the curious little gift could be intended for I was quite at a loss to divine, and I engaged her in conversation, hoping she might let some clue slip that would help me to find out for what she meant it, for I feared she would be disappointed if I did not recognize it. The little pet had found a small piece of wood, and had bored a hole in it with her scissors, in which she had inserted a peg, and on the top had hung half a cockle-shell—certainly an uncommon birthday present!
At last, unable to guess what it was supposed to be, I took my dear child on my knee, and, kissing her, said,"Papa is so pleased to have a birthday present of your own making; what is it my darling has made for me?" "Why, don't you know, papa? I thought you would like best a ship to take you to China!"
The dear child was right; probably no gift I ever received gave more pleasure, or was as carefully treasured, and as often thought of. When that dear child had become old enough to engage in missionary work in China herself, and was able to introduce me to the first two Chinese women whom she had brought toChrist, I remembered the little ship; and when the women were gone reminded her about it, and told her that the joy of finding her now used ofGodin the blessed work itself was a greater joy than her gift had been. She was surprised that I should remember it; but it hadnever passed from my memory, and the recollection of it is a pleasure still. It is not hard to please those who love us.D
Godwants our love; "My son, give Me thine heart." He wants oursympathy; He wants the gifts and offerings that are prompted bylove. Shall He look to us in vain? Our David still thirsts, not for the waters of the well of Bethlehem, but for the souls for which He died. Shall He not have them? He specially needs willing, skilful young men, ready to break through the enemy's camp to deliver the captives of the mighty one. Who that can will go? Who that cannot go at present will help others to go?